Brent's drive to improve educational achievement of Black Caribbean boys under scrutiny on Monday

Monday's Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee will be considering a report they requested from the Strategic Director for Children and Young People on the Council's efforts to improve the educational achievement of boys of Black Caribbean heritage. This is a welcome move, not only because this is a long-standing issue but because it marks an increased level of interest in education by the committee which called for the report after being given the statistics at an earlier meeting.

A close look at the reports above will reveal the main dimensions of under-achievement.

Although Brent secondary schools are mainly academies, while most primary schools remain with the local authority, the Council retains an interest in all schools through the Brent Schools Partnership (BSP).

Although white disadvantaged boys are the most 'under performing' group nationally and locally, Black Caribbean boys in Brent  are the only group that has continued to underperform over the last few years.

The BSP set up the Black Caribbean Strategy Group, chaired by the headteacher of Chalkhill Primary School  which has become the BSP Specialist Centre for Black Caribbean Achievement. Chalkhill was chosen because of the quality of its work with Black Caribbean boys and their families. Over the last 2 years  the Centre has shared their best practice with other schools through training, school visits and shared activities including aspirational careers events and advice.

The report states that the project has undertaken:
 

·      A supported rigorous and robust analysis of the performance of pupils of Black 
Caribbean heritage and the effectiveness of key aspects of schools’ practice to 
ensure the pupils achieve well. 


·      The designation of a Black Caribbean Achievement Champion in every school in 
Brent for a period of two years. The Champion will lead on the school’s plan to improve outcomes for pupils of Black Caribbean heritage, including monitoring its impact and engagement with parents/carers. 


·      A programme of half termly training for Black Caribbean Achievement Champions to ensure high levels of skills and competencies to deliver their role effectively, leading to real impact on outcomes in schools. 


·      A programme of training for groups of staff and for school governors. 


·      The development of online resources for parents on strengthening their role and 
contribution to improving their children’s learning and progress, and reducing the likelihood of their children being excluded from schools. This would provide links to opportunities for accreditation, face-to-face advice and workshops. The resources will draw on the experience and expertise of local community groups. 


·      Leadership and management of the overall Black Caribbean Strategy, including regular collation and analysis of the attainment and progress of pupils of Black Caribbean heritage.

 Gail Tolley, Strategic Director for Children and Young People notes:

The project is very much focused on ensuring the best possible provision for every boy. It is important to state that over 40 per cent of the group are meeting national expectations for results at the end of the primary and secondary phases, and their success must be celebrated alongside the success of the majority of pupils in Brent. This project is aiming to ensure that the boys in the 20 percentage point gap also attain their full potential. The evaluation of provision in each school will identify the factors that affect the group and individual pupils which may vary across the borough. It is important to avoid any over-generalisation of the factors that may be affecting the boys who are underperforming. The Champion is instead expected to monitor the data for every boy which includes their attendance and progress data (that school leaders usually collect from teachers every term), and to put in place the appropriate actions and interventions that address any individual boy’s underperformance. 


The late Basil Bernstein noted decades ago that 'education cannot compensate for society.' By that he meant that schools alone could not solve society's problems. It is worth remembering that when so much is expected of schools, although of course they work extremely hard to give pupils an equal chance and this project is a big step forward.

It was with Bernstein's quote in mind that I suggested at a recent Governors' Briefing on the Black Caribbean Strategy that the Council needed to situate the initiative in a wider context which would include addressing some of the issues where the Black Caribbean community feels it is not being fairly treated. The most high profile example at the moment is the future of the Bridge Park Complex but there are others including the closure of Stonebridge Adventure Playground, the cuts in the youth service and the closure of Children's Centres. Nationally the Windrush Generation scandal and Theresa May's hostile environment have increased uncertainty and disaffection.

Schools don't exist on a sanitised island.

The Scrutiny Committee takes place on Monday 18th March, 6pm at the Civic Centre, Wembley Park and is open to the public.

The full report is HERE

Leopold Primary School

I will not be reporting on this issue because I have an interest in the matter. I am Chair of Governors at Chalkhill Primary School and in that role have approved the appointment of our headteacher as Executive Headteacher of Chalkhill and Leopold starting after the Easter Holiday for one year in the first instance.

For the same reason I will not be publishing any comments on this issue.

Martin Francis

A great eating place in Chalkhill, Wembley

A few years ago such a claim would have been met with disbelief but the Lounge Cafe at Chalkhill Community Centre has joined the amazing new Chalkhill Park (oposite the cafe),  the popular and high-achieving Chalkhill Primary School and the diverse local community in challenging the negative stereotypes that used to be attached to the Chalkhill Estate.

Maria Kuehen, Director of the Lounge Cafe says:

This is a second cafe, the first being in Kilburn which has received a Good Food Award (out of half a million food businesses we were one of 160 to achieve this) and also The Time Out Best Cafe 2105. 

Our philosophy is simple. We prepare everything on a daily basis. We make all our soups and specials, have an eclectic breakfast and brunch menu and have an 'ask and we will do our best' policy. 

My food blog mindingbellieswell.blogspot.co.uk has 500 entries which include local restaurant reviews and hundreds of recipes. 

I have also started my programme "Walk, Talk, Fork' at the cafe, aimed at individuals who want to better their health through exercise and healthy cooking lessons. 

People are welcome to book the cafe for an event, a lunch or dinner party as well and we also cater for take out food.

The Cafe is rapidly building a reputation beyond Wembley but retains its community feeling. A recent reviewer on Trip Advisor said LINK:

Of course, it's the first place you'd think of to go and have a good breakfast, not! I mean, c'mon, it's a café in a Community Health Centre. Who wants to eat in those sort of places? Well, put your pre-conceived ideas aside and check it out. Heard of hidden gems? Read on..

Light and airy space with fresh flowers on the table. Good menu choice and reasonably priced. Service was warm, welcoming and attentive. We had breakfast; smoked salmon and scrambled egg on toast for my partner and for me, breakfast burrito. Both delicious.

After settling our bill, and the owner realising we weren't locals, she took great interest in to what our plans were and also gave us a number of her personal recommendations as to where to eat in Central London. That's engaging.

We left very satisfied and what a lovely start to the day.

Visited March 2017

Here is the menu but remember the 'ask and we will do our best' policy:

Lounge Cafe, Chalkhill Community Centre, 113 Chalkhill Road, HA9 9FX  Tel:  07790 506609

Nearest station Wembley Park (Met and Jubilee) 83, 182, 206, 297 buses alight at station or 245 alight at ASDA.

10 year olds views on Brent - something positive for the weekend

These are some of the pieces of work produced by 10 year olds from Chalkhill Primary School asked to express what Brent to them in a workshop by Brent Housing Partnership's Stories of Brent.LINK

Amidst all the concern about children's well-being in the current over-demanding testing culture and the impact of austerity and the housing crisis, it is heartwarming to see the children's optimism and understanding of the really important things in life come shining through.

Something positive for the weekend.

Here's a teaser for the video BHP are making:


 

Friday deadline for Brent Young Musician of the Year

I heard some beautiful violin playing by primary pupils at Chalkhill School this morning. Here is a reminder of the competition open to older pupils:

The closing annual search for Brent's best young musician is back! Do you have what it takes to go all the way and become the next Brent Young Musician of the Year?

The competition is open to all styles of music and both instrumental and vocal performers and was won by violinist Timothy Crawford in 2014.

This is a fantastic opportunity to compete for a total prize fund of £800 and the overall winner will also receive an invitation to appear at the SSE Wembley Arena as a special guest soloist for Brent Makes Music 2016 in July 2016.

To enter you need to be aged between 13 and 18 on Tuesday 1 September 2015 and live or go to a school in Brent.

How to enter

Download and fill in the Brent Young Musician of the Year entry form (.doc, 62.5kB).

All entries need to be received by Brent Music Service no later than midnight on Friday 13 November 2015. Completed entry forms should be emailed to info@brentmusicservice.com.

Key dates

Preliminary round

• Monday 7 December 2015 at Claremont High School, Kenton, 5pm to 9pm
• Thursday 10 December 2015 at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Junior School, Willesden Green, 5pm to 9pm

Competition finals venue

• Wednesday 2 March - Venue and time to be confirmed

Chalkhill School's innovative whole school approach to teaching of Spanish

There's much to be positive about in Brent schools and I think this video about a whole school approach to the teaching of Spanish at Chalkhill Primary School deserves a wider audience.  The commitment and involvement of all the staff, the cross-curricular approach and the deepening of language and cultural knowledge through a residential trip to Spain are impressive.


 Note: As recorded in the Declaration of Interests page, I am a governor at Chalkhill Primary School.

Chalkhill kids get on their bikes as school invests in cycling

With safe cycling in Brent under scrutiny at the Brent Cyclists hustings tomorrow I though it  might be worthwhile to look at some positive things happening on the Chalkhill Estate.

Chalkhill Primary School has used 'Healthy Schools' money to buy bike and scooter storage:

There are two of these covered bike racks with helmet storage

Scooter rack

Sustrans have used their police connection to get some unclaimed stolen or abandoned bikes for the school and the school has spent a grant of £2,000 to buy 10-12 bikes for use by children without bikes.

The teacher in charge has trained in Cycling Profiency and there train chldren and others. He works with Sustrans on bike safety and there is a Dr Bike safety and repair service.

 Cycling Club runs before school every Wednesday. Children can use the large playground to improve their skills and control before other children arrive, The children who attend have named themselves the 'Bike-it Crew',

The school runs a special Bikers' Breakfast with a free breakfast, film and other events.

Cycling is also integrated into the sports and PE curriculun with children taking the bikes out for on and off road training.

Meanwhile 5 minutes up the road from the school additional cycling facilities are taking shape. The children were consulted by the designers of the facility which consists of a BMX track, family cycling track and a scooter course.

BMX track under construction in St David's Close

Part of the circular Family Bike Track

What a creative curriculum can produce

Chalkhill School prepares to celebrate the opening of the new park

 Jean Lambert's statement that the arts, humanities, physical education and citizenship are as important as English, Maths and Science LINK in the primary curriculum made me reflect on my experience at Chalkhill Primary School in Wembley where I am Chair of Governors.

The plans to build a new park close to the school presented a great opportunity for work across the curriculum. More than three years ago children were involved in submitting  possible plans for the park with ideas for the kind of equipment that should be installed. They had to think about provision for all ages and safety issues.

The School Council got involved when plans for the park were delayed. They wrote lettes to local Brent councillors, e-mailed them and spoke to them face to face to urge action to complete the park, emphasising how important it was for children on the Chalkhill Estate to have somewhere safe to play and the importance of exercise and play in adopting a healthy lifestyle.

When  completion neared they were again involved in putting forward ideas for the opening ceremony and pupil delegates went to one meeting where activities, within budget constraints, were planned. In School Council they came up with the idea of a Junior Friends of Chalkhill Park to litter pick and take care of the equipment. Within th school there was a competition to make posters to urge the public to look after the park, pick up litter and clear up after dogs. The best of these were placed on the park notice boards.

For the opening ceremony the children and staff worked with Mahogany Arts to create carnival costumes, the staff steelband rehearsed, a pupil samba band was formed, Bollywood dances created and the school choir chose pieces to sing on the day.

Meanwhile Year 3 pupils collaborated with the Brent and Kilburn Times  to produce a page of the newspaper about the park.

The pictures below give some idea of the results of all this work.

The new Chalkhill Park opens in time for the Bank Holiday weekend

 

Chalkhill Park

Builders' fences were removed from Chalkhill Park today after a final surge of activity to get the park ready for the Bank Holiday.

News reached Chalkhill Primary School at lunchtime and spread like wildfire around the playground to cheers from the children.

The weekly School Walking Club were the first to officially use the new facility.  A landscape gardener, stripped to the waist and pushing a laden wheelbarrow, stopped me and said, 'This makes it all worthwhile. The children's faces as they swarmed into the park were wonderful. It was amazing It was worth all the work.'

Parents and children rushed to the park after school and there was widespread praise from the former for the design. Children were too overcome with excitement and breathless from trying everything out to say very much but their big smiles told their own story.

Chalkhill 'People's Park' may open sooner than expected after direct action

The 'People's Park' today

The recent warm weather has resulted in children and families making use of the new Chalkhill Park despite it not yet being officially open and still surrounded by builders' fencing.

The temptation of green grass and exciting play equipment proved too much of a temptation after three long years of waiting. A bit of low key spontaneous direct action resulted in an unofficial entrance being created.

I recently saw parents sitting chatting while their children played, a teenager doing her homework on a laptop at a picnic bench and young people chilling out. It demonstrated to me how badly the park was needed and how keen people are to get in there and use it.

Today there were 10 labourers working on the park. I checked and was told that the play equipment has received its final safety check and that a decision will be made tomorrow on whether the park should open now with any uncompleted areas being fenced off temporarily,

I think that would be a sensible decision as public use by families would be likely to deter any misuse of the park and why on earth shouldn't it be open if it is largely complete?

The official opening by the new Mayor of Brent will be on Saturday June 8th and plans include special activities, performance, bouncy castles, talent show and much more on the Saturday, outdoor gym equipment training on Sunday and Chalkhill Primary School pupils will take it over for a Carnival procession and other activities on the afternoon of  Monday June 10th.

Come to the Chalklhill Community Festival on Saturday

This Saturday 1st December there is a Community Festival from 1-4pm at Chalkhill Community Centre with 35 stalls and activities offering the chance to try out and meet many of the groups and activities in Chalkhill including:

• Team GB Olympic fencer James Honeybone
• Magician
• Jewellery making
• Pilates
• Singing
• Free hot lunch from 1-2pm, choice of Caribbean, Asian, British and African with halal and vegetarian options
• fire engine
• football skills
• taekwondo
• pampering

The choir of Chalkhill Primary school will be performing.

The event is completely free and for all ages.

113 Chalkhill Road,  Wembley, Middlesex HA9 9FX

Planting started in Chalkhill Park as it nears completion

Planting of trees and shrubs has started at Chalkhill Park which is due to be completed this month. However some residents have expressed concern about ground conditions with signs of depressions where the top soil has settled and flooding in the area of the children's playground. This along with the need for grassed areas to be completed and robust enough for thousands of little feet, may delay the opening.

The park notice board is now in place and some park seats have been installed. Although there is great excitement about the park some people are worried about it being treated properly by residents and fear for  the survival of young saplings. Obviously the local community has  a vital role to play in ensuring that the park is respected. In the longer term a proper maintenance plan by the Parks Department or out-sourced gardeners, will be essential.

Good news for play in Chalkhill

So much has been done to improve Chalkhill Estate and its primary school that I thought Chalkhill needed some positive coverage after the sad news reported elsewhere.

Chalkhill Primary is an accredited Healthy School and believes in the importance of play not just for keeping healthy but also for how it contributes to learning.

Children came back after the summer holiday to find a whole new Early Years Playground.  A state of the art new Early Years building at the school will also open this month. The Junior Playground will have a similar make-over later this year and the nearby Chalkhill Park should be finished by November.

Needless to say the children were incredibly excited when they saw their new playground and couldn't wait to try it out.

Adventurous Play  Equipment

Outside Music Workshop

Balcony Imaginative Play Areai

 

Climbing wall in the Junior Playground

Councillors back Asda petrol station despite local opposition

Pedestrian routes at Forty Lane/King's Drive/Asda junction

Brent Planning Committee last night unanimously approved plans for a new petrol station at Asda's Wembley Superstores despite objections from ward councillors, residents and the governing body of Chalkhill Primary School.

Planners admitted that the nearby road junction at Bridge Road/Forty Avenue/Forty Lane/Barn Hill was operating at full capacity but claimed that 100 yards down the road the Forty Lane/King's Drive/Asda junction (above) had spare capacity.

Cllr Shafique Choudhary (Labour -Barnhill) drew attention to the health hazards posed by petrol fueling stations to nearby residents and foodstuffs at the store, less thyan 100 metres from the proposed fueling station..He particularly focused on the carcinogenic properties of benzine. Steve Weeks of Brebt Planning said these dangers were known about but that the problem was being addressed nationally through redesign of petrol. Cllr Ann John remarked that many petrol stations had food stores and nearby flats without any problems.

Cllr Michael Pavey, the Labour winner of the recent Barnhill by-election, lambasted the planning officers'; report for being base don old data, lacking specific figures and being based on trip figures submitted by Asda and accepted by officers without an independent check. He said that the business model submitted by Asda which claimed that it would not be in 'aggressive' competition with other petrol providers lacked credibility - in fact Asda prides itself on low prices and will draw in additional customers. A check revealed that current Asda prices at their petrol stations were 3-5p cheaper that other local facilities and he could not see Asda charging higher prices in Wembley than it did elsewhere.   The 2009 traffic figures did not take into account school expansions in the area.  He concluded that the application should be rejected on the grounds that the officers' report was unsubstantial, unanalysed and untrustworthy.

Rachel McConnell for the planning department said that the trips data was based on national data as well as Asda's own experience of their other petrol stations. The peak flow was 2,300-2,400 cars and there would be only 43 extra trips caused by the petrol station, and this did not take into account trips that would be made to the store anyway.

Earlier I had made a presentation on behalf of the Chalkhill Primary School Governing body. I noted that we had not been formally consulted about the plans despite the school being close to the proposed site - we had only heard about the application through our community contacts.

As a governing body we are responsible for the safety of pupils both in school and on their way to school. In line with Brent Council policy, for environmental and health reasons, we encourage children to walk to school.  However, in the case of this development there appeared to be a conflict with our duty of care to keep children safe and implementation of the walking to school policy. If the petrol station were to be built increased traffic (at the 7 crossing points marked in blue - two not pedestrian controlled) would put children walking to school in more danger.  There were already problems with people avoiding the multiple blue crossing points by walking straight across Forty Lane from the Town Hall bus stop (red line on map) to the chestnut tree lined avenue leading to Chalkhill Estate and the school. There had been traffic accidents at the junction and injuries to pedestrians at the unofficial crossing.

I further contended that the planners' report did not take into account the increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic which would result from the expansion of schools places in the area. Ark Academy (secondary)  is due to add a further 540 secondary school places over the next 3 years, Ark Academy Primary 180, Preston Manor Primary 180 and if plans to be discussed by the Executive on August 20th go ahead a further 210 or 420 at Chalkhill Primary. This amounts to more than 1,000 extra journeys when planners admit that the morning peak is already higher than in 2009. Overall the report focused on vehicles and not on pedestrians.

In addition when Brent Town Hall is sold off next year, depending on its new use which could be retail or hotel, further journeys may be generated. Surely planners should take into account future pressures as well as the current situation?

The lone voice that spoke in favour of the proposal was that of former Independent Conservative Group councillor Robert Dunwell. Speaking on behalf of Ban Hill Residents Association (2004) he supported the application 'in principle' as being a good amenity for the store and for the surrounding community. He suggested that there could be a delay while the problem of capacity at the Bridge Road/Forty Avenue was dealt with.  Barn Hill Residents Association (without the 2004 in brackets!) has opposed the proposal on grounds of increased traffic.

I have to record that the points I raised were not addressed by planning committee councillors or officers. I remain seriously concerned about the safety of children walking to school from King's Drive and Pilgrims Way estates (bottom right of map) as well as those using the Town Hall bus stop.

Real spirit of Olympics wins out over corporate hijack

Children, parents and teachers herald the Olympic Torch

Local people turned out in force today as the Olympic Torch came along Forty Lane.  The contradictions of the Olympics were much in evidence with the commercialisation competing with more traditional values of community and diversity.

Just before the Torch was due a Samsung vehicle drew up and in what at times was a potential mini-riot started distributing 'blow-up' Samsung flags on which Samsung's name was very large and the Olympic rings symbol very small. Samsung cheer leaders tried to get the crowd banging their Samsung advertising flags together to welcome the torch.



At first it looked as if  the hand-painted  banners made by school children with the Mahogany Carnival Arts workshop would be over-shadowed by corporate plastic  but as the photographs shows the beautiful banners won out.

The torch itself was preceded by sponsor vehicles from Samsung, Cocoa Cola and Lloyd's bank - the latter drew a shout of 'Give us back our money!'.

Nonetheless beneath the corporate shenanigans there was real enthusiasm and a sense of history being made from a typically diverse Brent crowd.

Inspiring story from Chalkhill

 

It was great to see Chalkhill Primary School featuring on the front pages of our local newspapers this week LINK for such positive reasons.  There can be nothing more wonderful than to know that you are responsible for saving a child's life.

I hope the story inspires more people to train in CPR: LINK

Work on Chalkhill Park to start on Monday?

The site of the new park

 Cllr Shafique Choudhary reports on his Barnhill New Dawn blog that work is to start on the Chalkhill Park on Monday to be completed by mid-November.


I can hardly believe it after all the delays and there are many doubters on the estate who are still convinced the site is earmarked for housing,

I look forward to seeing rapid progress and hope that the giant rats rumoured to have made their homes there don't hold things up.

Chalkhill Primary School pupils will be jubilant when they see work has started

Chalkhill children need summer activities

St David's Open Space very early Sunday morning

I was pleased to see that football posts have now been installed at St David's Close Open Space on Chalkhill. This was one of the requests made by local people and Chalkhill Primary School children at a meeting held with the head of Brent Parks and Sports and Cllr Choudhary in October 2011.

Because of the further delay in the building of Chalkhill Park in my role as Chair of Governors I have backed the request by Chalkhill Pupil School Council for the refurbishment of the BMX track at St David's and installation of a skateboarding area.

The overgrown BMX track

With the new Chalkhill Park now not likely to open until November as work has not yet started (see below) we have asked for the BMX track and skateboarding area to be ready for the summer holiday. Along with activities at Poplar Grove Youth Centre this would give children and youth from Chalkhill some facilities during the break.

The Chalkhill Park site two weeks ago

I understand but have not had confirmed that a contractor has been found to build the Park. Brent Council Parks and Sports department are employing Bike Track to consult with the people of Chalkhill on the possibility of a BMX track or alternatively/additionally a skate boarding/scooter park area.

Chalkhill kids let down yet again by park delay

The park site - no 'New Dawn' here

Cllr Powney has accused me recently of being 'grumpy' but the latest news from Brent Council has transformed me into the full Victor Meldrew: 'I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THE NEW CHALKHILL PARK HAS BEEN DELAYED YET AGAIN.'


In October 2011 I blogged LINKthat after a meeting with Cllr Powney (lead member for the environment)and Gerry Kiefer, head of Sports and Parks, we were assured that the delayed Chalkhill Park would be ready by May 2012.  Earlier in the year children from Chalkhill School Council had lobbied ward councillors after repeated delays and this was taken up by the wider community of children and youth on the estate during the summer holiday. They were all angry that once again Chalkhill young people had been deprived of a park during the long summer holiday. They were determined that they would have a park by Summer 2012.

When I saw that no work had started after the forecast delay of 4-6 weeks I started nagging the ward councillor in my role as Chair of Governors of Chalkhill Primary School. 

Chris Walker, head of planning wrote to all the interested parties yesterday to say that it had been anticipated that work would start in December 2011/January 2012 (more than 4-6 weeks behind) but that now the contract will be not be awarded until March 2012 with a six month contract to completion. On my reading this means that the park will not be completed until at least September 2012 leaving the local kids with no park for yet another summer.

Mr Walker explains that this is because all the tenders submitted in the autumn were unaffordable without reducing the park specification and that it became apparent that they did not fully comply with the Council's internal standing orders - so they are going out to tender again 'and hope that this time we will receive affordable and suitable tender submissions'. Even that sounds pretty uncertain...

Chris Walker  says he realises the situation will be a big disappointment but says that the Council is doing all it can to minimise delays.

All sorts of questions are raised by this debacle, not least over whether the Parks Service itself, if it hadn't been drastically cut, could have got a park up and running but also what this means for the Council's current Parks Review which, amongst other options, is looking at the possibility of privatisation of the Service.

After last summer's events across the nation Brent Council had better takes positive steps to ensure it is not a long hot summer on Chalkhill. They could at least get the BMX track cleared at St. David's Close and fast-track plans for a possible skateboarding installation.

The councillors who represent Chalkhill (which is part of  Barnhill Ward) can be contacted via their website BARNHILL-NEW DAWN (sic). No mention of this news there.

You can write direct to the councillors at their e-mails below:

 cllr.abdifatah.aden@brent.gov.uk; cllr.judith.beckman@brent.gov.uk; cllr.shafique.choudhary@brent.gov.uk;

Chalkhill demonstrates its 'Get Up and Go' at community event

Willow plans - will Chalkhill residents lose out?

Chalkhill residents displayed a 'get up and get things done' attitude yesterday when they met for their AGM and Community Information fair.   The regeneration of the estate and the recent positive publicity around Chalkhill Primary School's excellent 'good with outstanding features' Ofsted report fed a mood of optimism, although the impact of cuts cast a shadow over the future.

On the optimistic front we were told that there was a meeting in a few days to consider the bids for the work on constructing the new Chalkhill Park and work should begin within 4 weeks. It is hoped to open the park by June 2012 but things could be delayed in the event of severe winter weather.

Winston Small, the new manager of the Poplar Grove Youth Centre told the meeting he had already taken action to restore the MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) at Poplar Grove.  Along with a possible restoration of the BMX track at St David's Close and installation of a skateboarding area, the shared community/school play area at Chalkhill School, and the new park with its two children's playgrounds, adult exercise equipment and 'kickabout area' much needed facilities for children and youth seem to be taking shape.

Barry Gardiner spoke about his work with youth and particular concerns about disproportionate use of stop and search of black youth. Gardiner and Chalkhill youth had raised the issue of lack of respect and transparency in the way stops were carried out with the Borough Commander. A new App had been adopted as a pilot in Brent. This will allow youth to record the reference number of the stop, the officer's number and whether they had been treated respectfully.  The information would be publicly available making the process more transparent and accountable.

We applauded Elmi. who had worked on this issue with Barry Gardiner,  a member of the CRA and the Chalkhill Wanderers football team, who has just been awarded a Masters degree. He said that he would not have been able to achieve what he had without the support of the Residents' Association. Louisa, another young member who works with local youth spoke about the success of the Chalkhill Sports Academy, which is funded by Ward Working. She said, "We're all neighbours but we don't know each other. Working together lets you know that we have issues in common and we can do something about them".  She paid tribute to the support they received from Barry Gardiner and Shafique Choudhary, one of the local ward councillors.

Among issues that residents felt needed to be addressed were confusion over the new recycling arrangements and the 'cyber inequality' experienced by residents who could not afford land telephone lines.  I told residents that we had 20 free (15 hour) nursery vacancies at Chalkhill available for any children who have their 4th birthday before August 31st and some residents said that full-time places would be really appreciated by the community.

The current consultation on the future of the Willow Children's Centre was a concern. There was some confusion over what the proposals might actually mean for local families.  It was strongly felt that the Willow was a resource that formed an integral part of the regeneration of the estate and a route to tackling deprivation. If the number of places was reduced because it was switching the priority to providing for disabled and special needs children this would impact on the community.

The information note to parents and carers states (LINK):

Nursery services will continue at Willow but the focus from 2012 onwards will be towards providing places for children with disabilities or children in need. Although there will no loss in terms of the number of places at Willow, the allocated places for children with disabilities and children in need will increase. The current children will not be affected in terms of places but in the future this will lead to a reduction in the number of general fee paying and NEG (15 hour free entitlement) places. In addition to this as a result of the proposed restructure your child’s key worker may change

It is not clear what proportion of the available spaces will be taken up by children with SEN or disabilities and how many ordinary places will be left for local children. The proportions will also dictate whether the Willow is mainly a 'special nursery' or an integrated provision.

Full consultation details are HERE. The consultation ends on December 14th and decisions on the reorganisation of the Willow Children's Centre and closure of Treetops and Hamony nurseries will be made in January 2012.